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The South Wales Magazine


PizzaExpress Brings a Free Christmas Concierge to Cardiff
Christmas in Cardiff just got a whole lot easier. PizzaExpress is launching a FREE Christmas Concierge service at Cardiff St David’s, giving city-centre shoppers their precious festive time back. (PizzaExpress Cardiff) Because let’s be honest, December in Cardiff is magical… but the festive admin? Not so much. New research shows Brits lose more than an entire day to Christmas chores, with 33% calling wrapping their biggest nightmare and 62% saying the season has become more s


Joe Wicks: ‘Don’t convince yourself you haven’t got time to cook and that you can’t, because you can’
The Body Coach is back with a new cookbook, Protein In 15, which he hopes will get us all back in the kitchen and away from ultra-processed foods. Joe Wicks The Body Coach “My little boy, he had leftover Thai green curry for breakfast yesterday,” says Joe Wicks, 40, deadly serious. “It had baby corn, mangetout, chicken, not even any rice, it was just the actual curry, and he loved it. And it’s like, why do I need to give my child sugary cereals when that’s just been sold to u


How to make Joe Wicks’ Moroccan-style lamb and butternut squash
This looks fancy, but is straightforward to throw together. Moroccan-style lamb and butternut squash (Mike English Photography/PA) “This is a proper crowd-pleaser, with unbelievable levels of flavour from the flaked almonds and crumbled feta cheese,” says Joe Wicks, whose new cookbook is all about protein. “It’s all these little extra touches that really make this a standout dish for me. Friends and family will be well impressed if you make the effort with this.” Moroccan-sty


How to make Joe Wicks’ Thai Me Up, Baby
A fragrant and filling Thai green curry that’ll keep the whole family happy. Joe Wick's Thai green curry “If you ever find yourself craving a takeaway, give this recipe a go. It’s simple and delicious,” says The Body Coach, Joe Wicks. “Avoid the tinned coconut milks, which often contain gums and emulsifiers, and instead opt for the solid block of creamed coconut, which is 99.9% pure coconut. The great thing with curries like this is you can really throw in any of your favouri


How to make Joe Wicks’ pulled pork with mustard yoghurt slaw
Put your slow cooker to excellent use. Joe Wicks’ pulled pork with mustard yoghurt slaw “Slow-cooked pork is one of the most delicious things around. The way the low temperature breaks down the proteins and makes the meat beyond tender keeps me coming back to this recipe at least once a month,” says The Body Coach, Joe Wicks. “The sweet and smoky BBQ sauce and home-made mustard slaw combo here is quite literally da bomb! The person who invented the slow cooker must have had p


Jon Watts’ best-bit-of-Christmas curry recipe
For a low-effort, high-reward Boxing Day meal. Jon Watts’ best-bit-of-Christmas curry recipe (Andrew Burton/PA) “Leftover turkey is my favourite Christmas food and I’ll always save to buy a bigger bird than I need, so I can enjoy it after the day,” says chef and cookery content creator Jon Watts. “This recipe turns those wonderful leftovers into a tasty curry. Over the rest of the year, you can also substitute cold roast chicken, or rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Se


Skye McAlpine’s panettone grilled cheese sandwich recipe
There’s always panettone left over at Christmas. Skye McAlpine’s panettone grilled cheese sandwich recipe (Skye McAlpine/PA) “There is so much that is seemingly wrong about this combination of melted, rich cheese with golden toasted sweet bread, yet – by some kind of alchemy – the two work exceptionally well together,” says cookery writer Skye McAlpine. “Trust me on the addition of mustard: you need a slick of something sharp and peppery to cut through the glorious greasy, bu


Best Lindt Christmas Gifts 2025: Luxurious Chocolate Presents for Every Loved One
Share the joy, spoil someone special and make Christmas 2025 extra indulgent with Lindt’s best-selling chocolate gifts. (Lindt Christmas Collection Hamper 1.5kg) Lindt Christmas Collection Hamper 1.5kg Including 650g Pick & Mix) £75 Share the magic of Christmas with this luxurious hamper of festive favourites and miniatures, including our iconic Gold TEDDY and Santa plus your selection of Pick & Mix. Spread a little festive sparkle, with Lindt. (Lindt SANTA Milk Drum 10g x 67


Cadbury Gifts Direct Christmas Hampers 2025: Delicious Chocolate Treats for Everyone
Treat your loved ones this festive season with Cadbury Gifts Direct Christmas hampers. Perfect for family, friends, or colleagues, they bring joy, festive cheer, and a taste of Christmas straight to their door. (Cadbury Christmas Chocolate Gift Box) Cadbury Christmas Chocolate Gift Box £35 With almost 2.3kg of Cadbury chocolate and sweets, it makes the ideal Christmas chocolate gift for offices, families, or Christmas parties. Rich assortment: From bite-size Heroes and chewy


Best Christmas Chocolate Hampers 2025 from Cadbury Gifts Direct: Sweet Gifts They’ll Love
Packed with festive treats, luxury chocolates, and indulgent goodies, these hampers make the perfect Christmas gift for family, friends, and chocolate lovers. (Cadbury Christmas Chocolate Sharing Basket) Cadbury Christmas Chocolate Sharing Basket £35 Delivered in a presentation 14 wicker basket hand-packed with a delicious selection of your favourite Cadbury Christmas chocolate. Share this delightful chocolate sharing basket filled with all your Cadbury favourites, knowing yo


Virginia Haywood Hampers: Top Christmas Gifts & Luxury Food Hampers 2025
Explore the best Virginia Haywood hampers this Christmas, featuring luxury gift baskets, gourmet chocolates, biscuits, teas, and festive treats. Ideal Christmas presents for family, friends, and foodies – order online today. (Twelfth Night Gift Basket) Twelfth Night Gift Basket £228 A show-stopping Christmas hamper overflowing with gourmet treats and festive favourites. Presented in an elegant greywash willow tray, this luxurious gift collection is crafted to impress, offerin


Virginia Haywood Hampers: Best Luxury Christmas Hampers & Gift Baskets 2025
Shop the ultimate Virginia Haywood hampers for Christmas 2025, featuring luxury food gifts, gourmet treats, festive chocolates, biscuits, teas, and perfect gift baskets for family, friends, and food lovers – all available to buy online. (T he Utopian Luxury Christmas Hamper from Virginia Hayward Hampers) The Utopian Christmas Hamper £2260 Celebrate Christmas in style with the Utopian Luxury Christmas Hamper – the biggest and most indulgent festive hamper ever! Packed with gou


Christmas 2025 Gift Guide: Best Cartwright & Butler Hampers for Every Budget
Explore the Christmas 2025 gift guide with the best Cartwright & Butler hampers for every budget, including luxury food hampers, festive treats, gourmet chocolates, teas, biscuits, and perfect Christmas gifts for family, friends, and food lovers. The Ultimate Festive Hamper The Ultimate Festive Hamper £220 Utterly spoil your friends and family this year with The Ultimate Festive Hamper. Bursting with an array of Christmas goodies the whole family can enjoy. The Totally Chris


Best Cartwright & Butler Christmas Hampers for 2025: Luxury Food Gifts They’ll Love
Discover the ultimate Cartwright & Butler Christmas hampers for 2025, featuring luxury food gifts, gourmet treats, festive biscuits, chocolates, teas, and perfect Christmas presents for food lovers. (The Festive Alcohol Free Hamper from Cartwright and Butler) The Festive Alcohol Free Hamper £250 Experience the joys of Christmas with our Alcohol-Free Hamper, a wonderful collection of gourmets and indulgent treats. This hamper is perfect for those who prefer a non-alcoholic cel


Rick Stein’s ultimate guide to cooking the Christmas dinner
Lauren Taylor chats to the TV chef about his tips and tricks for everything from the turkey to the sprouts. (James Murphy/PA) In a restaurant kitchen, even professional chefs don’t have to make every element of a three-course meal. But at Christmas, “When you’re cooking at home, you have to do everything,” says Rick Stein, “therefore your timing has to be really good. In a restaurant kitchen you’re doing four or five things really, and nothing else, also they’re all part of t


James Martin’s Welsh rarebit with bacon and chutney
Perfect autumnal comfort food. James Martin’s Welsh rarebit with bacon and chutney (Dan Jones/PA) “One of the greatest chefs of the modern era was Gary Rhodes. People really underestimate how good he was and how he revolutionised the food scene using top-quality UK produce,” says James Martin. “One of his trademark dishes was a smoked haddock Welsh rarebit with confit tomatoes. Bettys Tea Room in York does a Welsh rarebit on toast with tomato chutney and it’s bloody delicious


James Martin’s sticky toffee pudding with miso caramel sauce and clotted cream
A classic dessert with a twist. James Martin’s sticky toffee pudding with miso caramel sauce and clotted cream (Dan Jones/PA) “There are loads of variations of sticky toffee pudding, and I love to put my own spin on it,” says James Martin. “Miso is a brilliant savoury ingredient and when added to caramel it’s amazing, but it has to be high-quality miso!” Sticky toffee pudding with miso caramel sauce and clotted cream Ingredients: (Serves 6) 290ml boiling water 200g stoned dat


Clodagh McKenna’s seeded cheddar sunflower bread recipe
This recipe is inspired by traditional Irish soda bread. Clodagh McKenna’s seeded cheddar sunflower bread recipe (David Loftus/PA) “Beautiful, isn’t it? This recipe is based on the wonderful traditional Irish soda bread that the whole world should know how to make,” says This Morning resident chef Clodagh McKenna. “I’ve added Cheddar for flavour, but leave that out for the classic recipe. This loaf is cut into wedges, so every person can tear off their own, and they make it l


How to make Gaucho’s churrasco de chorizo
A simple sirloin that will become a staple dish. Gaucho’s churrasco de chorizo (Sam A. Harris/PA) “One of Gaucho’s original offerings, this steak borrows the word churrasco from the Brazilian equivalent to asado,” explains Gaucho culinary director Anthony Ekizian. “It is a butterfly- cut, marinated sirloin and delivers a bold, smoky South American char. For the best results, choose steaks that are around eight centimetres thick.” Gaucho’s churrasco de chorizo Ingredients: (Se


Samin Nosrat’s sky-high focaccia
If you’ve never made focaccia, this is easy – but takes time. Samin Nosrat’s sky-high focaccia (Aya Brackett/PA “I’ve spent years tweaking and perfecting this golden, chewy focaccia recipe, which I originally developed for the Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat documentary series,” says chef Samin Nosrat. “Since then, I’ve replaced plain flour with strong white flour, whose higher protein content allows for more height and chew. I also added a few strategic turns, or folds, of the dough a
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